refugium bugs

[eklapp]

More like lack of. I have a 75 gallon fuge that's been running for about 2 years. Lots of cheato and other greens deep sand bed and about 50#s of live rock. Up until 2 months ago it was always loaded with bugs crawling around and floating around in the water column. Now I can't find a single one. I look with a flashlight when the lights are off and nothing. There's still bristle worms and brittle stars tho. Last week I took a good size ball of cheato loaded with pods and mysis from my brothers fuge and lastnight I looked again and nothing. There's no fish in my fuge. What's going on? My reef is happy otherwise

 

[AlexG]

Do you have a lot of amphipods and mysis shrimp in the refudge? I had lots of copopods in mine until the larger mysis and amphipods took over. I still have some but they are not at the level they were before.

 

[eklapp]

I used to but not anymore. There's nothing but a few bristle worms and brittle stars

 

[Reefing Madness]

Hmm, now that is puzzling. Anything different that you've done to the tank? Lights, other equipment, medicate the tank? Paint the room the tank is in? Anything get dumped in the tank?

 

[eklapp]

Nothing that I can think of its just weird. Everything else looks as good as ever. Its sps dominant.

 

[NanaReefer]

Used any cyano or red bug treatments lately? Have you tried feeding phytoplankton or zooplankton?
I notice pod populations come and go. For an entire month I had nothing then boom! Tank & fuge are loaded.
Here is an awesome read on Copepods. She is a expert and the only person I buy mine from. When needed.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_2/copepods.htm

 

[eklapp]

Thanks for the link. Good info. I've never treated for anything and no I don't feed phyto or zooplankton. I feed my fish pretty heavy pellets and frozen. One thing I have changed recently that I just thought of is I quit running phosban and started doing 30 gallon a week water change on a 280 gallon system. I wouldnt think that would affect them though

 

[jasonp87]

+1 on the phyto. That should help boost their numbers.

 

[eklapp]

Thanks! I will give tbat a try

 

[NanaReefer]

I use phyto 1x bi-weekly and it really seems to boost the population.